Gary Eugene Holt

Gary Eugene Holt, age 71, of Monroe, NC went to be with his heavenly father on Saturday, April 27, 2019. Gary was born in Chattanooga, Tennessee and his family moved to New Bern, NC where he attended New Bern High School.

Gary excelled in both basketball and baseball which was his passion. During this time, he pitched and helped to win the only state championship for New Bern High School. Gary was signed in 1966 to the Baltimore Orioles as a pitcher. He would later be inducted in the New Bern Hall of Fame.

He then attended University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where he met and then married the love of his life, Gretta Scott Holt. During college, he was one of the founding members of Tau Kappa Epsilon (TKE) fraternity where he was scroll number 3.

Gary served 4 years in the United States Navy, where he was stationed in Portsmouth, VA. He was an Operating Room Technician and assisted with the POW soldiers returning from the Vietnam War.

Later in life, Gary and Gretta would relocate to the Charlotte, NC area and settle in Monroe, NC where he retired from Hostess Brands. But, retirement was not his thing, so he drove for Uber and had over 7,000 rides earning the name “Gare-Bear” and met people from all over and always had a story to tell.

He and Gretta were always active in the community and his motto was “I am not spending being old-being old!”

Gary leaves behind his wife Gretta Holt; his only daughter Amanda Holt Miller and her husband Tommy Miller; special twin granddaughters, Avery Elizabeth Miller and Hannah Grace Miller whom “Poppy” was so proud of, with one at NC State and one at UNC- Chapel Hill.

He also leaves behind a sister-in-law, Audrey Scott Stanley and her husband Pastor Kelly Stanley and their daughter Emmie Stanley of Wilmington, NC; brother-in-law H. Keith (Scotty) Scott and wife Theresa Brooks Scott of Marshville, NC; nephew Christopher Scott of Ft. Mill, SC; niece Halie Scott of Greenville, NC and many special friends who were considered family as well.

A celebration of Gary’s life will be held on Friday May 10, 2019 at 4pm at McEwen Funeral Service-Mint Hill Chapel, 7428 Matthews-Mint Hill Rd. Mint Hill, NC 28227 with visitation following the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, in which a tribute in his name has been set up, at https://app.mobilecause.com/vf/PFFTribute/GaryHolt.

Condolences may be offered online at www.mcewenminthillchapel.com.